Alternative therapies for viral infections caused by SARS-Cov-2 / Terapias alternativas para infecções virais causadas pelo SARS-Cov-2

Abstract Introduction The relevance of the studied topic lies in the complexity of the treatment of infection caused by SARS-CoV-2. Objective To discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of alternative treatments compared to conventional medical approaches, and to highlight the importance of collaborative communication between patients and healthcare providers in making informed decisions about alternative treatments of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Methods The research methodology employed literature analysis methods, including bibliographic and bibliosemantic approaches. The study used theoretical, systematic, and statistical methods, including analysis, synthesis, generalization, interpretation, classification, and meta-analysis to explore alternative treatments for SARS-CoV-2 infections, their interrelationships, and statistical trends in incidence. Results The study identifies diverse alternative therapies for treating SARS-CoV-2 infections, highlighting herbal medicine, acupuncture, reflexology, biohacking, homoeopathy, and magnetotherapy. It underscores the potential benefits of herbal remedies like garlic, ginger, chamomile, and honeysuckle, as well as vitamins (C, D, B12) and minerals (zinc, selenium) in managing COVID-19 symptoms. Conclusion While of-fering holistic benefits, these therapies warrant cautious consideration due to limited scientific backing and potential interactions. Cultural understanding, patient-provider dialogue, and informed choices are key in harnessing the potential of alternative medicine along-side conventional approaches for managing COVID-19 challenges.

Resumo Introdução A relevância do tema estudado reside na comple-xidade do tratamento da infeção causada pelo SARS-CoV-2. Objetivo Discutir as potenciais vantagens e desvantagens dos tratamentos alternativos em comparação com as abordagens médicas convencionais e realçar a importância da comunicação colaborativa entre os doentes e os prestadores de cuidados de saúde na tomada de decisões informadas sobre os tratamentos alternativos do vírus SARS-CoV-2. Métodos A metodologia de investigação utilizou métodos de análise da literatura, incluindo abordagens bibliográficas e bibliosemânticas. O estudo utilizou métodos teóricos, sistemáticos e estatísticos, incluindo análise, síntese, generalização, interpretação, classificação e meta-aná-lise para explorar tratamentos alternativos para as infecções por SARS-CoV-2, suas inter-relações e tendências estatísticas da incidência. Resultados O estudo identifica diversas terapias alternativas para o tratamento das infecções por SARS-CoV-2, destacando a fitoterapia, a acupunctura, a reflexologia, o biohacking, a homeopatia e a magnetoterapia. Sublinha os potenciais benefícios dos remédios à base de plantas como o alho, o gengibre, a camomila e a madressilva, bem como das vitaminas (C, D, B12) e dos minerais (zinco, selénio) na gestão dos sintomas da COVID-19. Conclusão Embora ofereçam benefícios holísticos, estas terapias devem ser consideradas com cautela devido ao apoio científico limitado e às potenciais interações. A compreensão cultural, o diálogo paciente-prove-dor e as escolhas informadas são fundamentais para aproveitar o potencial da medicina alternativa juntamente às abordagens convencionais para gerir os desafios da COVID-19.

Intervenciones de enfermería en Medicina Natural y Tradicional para la rehabilitación de pacientes operados de cardiopatías congénitas

Introducción: El sistema de salud cubano insiste en la necesidad de adiestrar profesionales en modalidades de Medicina Natural y Tradicional. Su integración aumenta los recursos diagnósticos terapéuticos en la prevención, promoción y rehabilitación de individuos, familias y comunidades. La Medicina Natural y Tradicional es promovida por la Organización Mundial de la Salud, y está incluida en la Clasificación de Intervenciones de Enfermería. El término "intervención de enfermería" se asume para integrar estas modalidades a la rehabilitación de personas operadas de cardiopatías congénitas. Objetivo: Diseñar la integración de la Medicina Natural y Tradicional en las intervenciones de enfermería para la rehabilitación de personas operadas de cardiopatía congénita. Materiales y métodos: Estudio descriptivo y transversal realizado en el Cardiocentro Pediátrico William Soler, de La Habana, en el período 2016-2018. El universo estuvo conformado por 100 enfermeras/os, de las/os cuales 60 fueron seleccionadas/os mediante muestreo aleatorio simple. Se diseñó un instrumento que se validó por criterio de expertos. La información se procesó con frecuencias absolutas y porcentajes. Resultados: El criterio de expertos determinó la viabilidad de la propuesta, su consolidación para desarrollar cuidados holísticos, naturales e integrales, y el diseño de la integración de la Medicina Natural y Tradicional en intervenciones de enfermería para la rehabilitación de personas operadas de cardiopatías congénitas. Asimismo, complementar protocolos utilizados en el Departamento de Rehabilitación del Cardiocentro Pediátrico William Soler, además de la superación profesional. Conclusiones: Se seleccionaron diagnósticos e intervenciones reconocidas por la Clasificación de Intervenciones de Enfermería, aplicables para solucionar problemas detectados en la rehabilitación de personas operadas de cardiopatías congénitas, lo que contribuyó como aporte teórico desde la ciencia a la práctica enfermera.

Introduction: The Cuban health system insists on the need of training professionals on modalities on Natural and Traditional Medicine. Their integration increases the diagnostic nd therapeutic resources in the promotion, prevention and rehabilitation of individuals,familiesand communities. Natural and Traditional Medicine is promoted by the World Health Organization, and is included in the Classification of Nursing Interventions. The term "nursing intervention" is assumed to integrate these modalities into the rehabilitation of persons operated on for congenital heart diseases. Objective: To design the integration of the Natural and Traditional Medicine into nursing interventions for the rehabilitation of persons operated on for congenital heart diseases. Materials and methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study carried out in the Pediatric Heart center William Soler, of Havana, in the period 2016-2018. The universe was made up by 100 male and female nurses, 60 of whom were selected through simple randomly sampling. An instrument was, designed that was validated by expert criteria. The information was processed with absolute frequencies and percentages. Results: The expert criteria determined the proposal's viability, its consolidation to develop holistic, natural and comprehensive care, and the design of the integration of Natural and Traditional Medicine into nursing interventions for the rehabilitation of persons operated on for congenital heart diseases. Likewise, complement protocols used in the Rehabilitation Department of the Pediatric Heart center William Soler, in addition to professional upgrading. Conclusions: Diagnoses and interventions recognized by the Classification of Nursing Interventions were selected, applicable to solve problems detected in the rehabilitation of persons operated on for congenital heart diseases, which contributed to the nursing practice as a theoretical scientific contribution.

Nivel de conocimientos de enfermeros sobre medicina natural y tradicional para la rehabilitación de operados de cardiopatías congénitas

Introducción: la medicina natural y tradicional puede integrarse a la rehabilitación de los pacientes operados de cardiopatías congénitas, por lo que se requieren profesionales de enfermería con preparación para realizar las intervenciones específicas útiles en estos pacientes. Objetivo: identificar el nivel de conocimientos que posee el personal de enfermería sobre medicina natural y tradicional para la rehabilitación de las personas operadas de cardiopatía congénita. Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo, transversal, en el Cardiocentro Pediátrico William Soler, de La Habana, durante el período junio-noviembre de 2019. Se aplicó una encuesta diseñada por los investigadores y validada por criterio de expertos. El universo lo constituyeron 100 enfermeras involucradas en el proceso de rehabilitación en práctica diaria, de las cuales se seleccionaron 60 mediante muestreo aleatorio simple. Para procesar la información se utilizó el software estadístico IMB SPSS Statistics. Resultados: se identificó el bajo nivel de conocimientos sobre las intervenciones de enfermería en medicina natural y tradicional para la rehabilitación de personas operadas de cardiopatías congénitas, resultado esperado por la insuficiente investigación en ese campo. Conclusiones: el estudio posibilitó identificar las debilidades relacionadas con el objeto de estudio, y propuso el diseño de un programa para la integración de la medicina natural y tradicional en las intervenciones de enfermería para la rehabilitación de personas operadas de cardiopatías congénitas.

Introduction: natural and traditional medicine can be integrated into the rehabilitation of patients operated of congenital heart diseases, so nursing professionals are required with training to perform the specific interventions that are useful in these patients. Objective: to identify the level of knowledge that the nursing staff have on natural and traditional medicine for the rehabilitation of patients operated of congenital heart disease. Materials and methods: across-sectional, descriptive study was carried out in the Pediatric Cardio Center William Soler, in Havana, during the period from June to November 2019. A survey, designed by the researchers and validated by expert criteria, was applied. The universe were 100 nurses involved in the rehabilitation process in their daily practice, of whom 60 were selected by simple random sampling. IMB SPSS Statistics software was used to process the information. Results: the low level of knowledge on nursing interventions in natural and traditional medicine for the rehabilitation of patients operated of congenital heart diseases was identified, an expected result due to insufficient research in this field. Conclusions: the study made it possible to identify weaknesses related to the object of study, and proposed the design of a program to integrate natural and traditional medicine into nursing interventions for the rehabilitation of patients operated of congenital heart diseases.

Formación médica en la terapéutica no convencional en el mundo (homeopatía y acupuntura) / Medical training in non-conventional therapeutics in the world (homeopathy and acupuncture)

Utilizadas de forma complementaria, alternada o integrada con la medicina convencional, la demanda de la población por las terapias no convencionales se ha incrementado considerablemente en las últimas décadas, requiriendo de los médicos un conocimiento de las nociones básicas de tales enfoques terapéuticos para orientar a sus pacientes en relación con tratamientos distintos a aquellos que suelen prescribir. Entre las mismas, la homeopatía y la acupuntura se han considerado especialidades médicas en Brasil durante varias décadas. Objetivo: Describir el estado actual de la formación médica en terapias no convencionales (homeopatía y acupuntura) alrededor del mundo. Métodos: Actualizamos los datos relacionados con los estudios y revisiones publicados hasta 2013 a través de una revisión de los estudios más recientes incluidos en la base de datos PubMed. Resultados: En todos los países, la enseñanza de terapias no convencionales se considera un tema relevante para la formación de médicos como una función del creciente interés de la población en su uso, con un amplia variedad de enfoques dirigidos a los estudiantes de licenciatura y posgrado, médicos residentes y profesionales con otras especialidades médicas. Conclusiones: Las escuelas brasileñas de medicina deben proporcionar a los estudiantes de licenciatura y posgrado, así como a los médicos residentes, un conocimiento preciso de los supuestos teóricos y enfoques clínico-terapéuticos propios de la homeopatía y la acupuntura, entre otras terapias no convencionales.

Used as complementary to, alternating or integrated with mainstream medicine, the population's demand for non-conventional therapies has substantially increased in the past decades, requiring from doctors knowledge on the basic notions of such therapeutics to orient their patients regarding treatments different to the ones they usually prescribe. Among them, homeopathy and acupuncture are considered medical specialties in Brazil for various decades. Aim: To describe the current state of medical education in non-conventional therapies (homeopathy and acupuncture) around the world. Methods: We updated data resulting from studies and reviews published until 2013 through a review of more recent studies included in database PubMed. Results: In all countries the teaching of non-conventional therapies is considered a relevant topic for the training of doctors as a function of the increasing interest of the population in their use, with a broad range of approaches targeting undergraduate and graduate students, medical residents and doctors from other medical specialties. Conclusions: The Brazilian medical schools must provide undergraduate and graduate students and medical residents accurate knowledge on the theoretical assumptions and clinical-therapeutic approaches proper to homeopathy and acupuncture, among other non-conventional therapies.

Effects of COVID-19 fear and anxiety on attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine use in women with gynecological cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#Patients with gynecological cancer commonly use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) methods to cope with the disease. However, despite the existence of treatment strategies, the effect of fear and anxiety caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on attitudes about CAM use is unclear. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of fear and anxiety experienced by patients with gynecological cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic on their attitudes towards the use of CAM.@*METHODS@#This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study that included 177 women with gynecological cancer; participants were recruited from a social networking site for cancer patients in Turkey between June and December 2021. Data were collected using an online survey that included the Personal Information Form, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale, and the Attitude Towards Holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Scale. Descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson's correlation test, and simple linear and multiple regression analyses were performed to analyze the data.@*RESULTS@#During the pandemic, 55.4% of the participants reported using CAM methods, but only 22.6% were using CAM before the pandemic. The participants who used CAM during the pandemic also scored higher on the fear of COVID-19 and coronavirus anxiety scales (20.69 ± 5.37 and 13.09 ± 6.29, respectively) compared to the participants who did not use CAM (9.29 ± 2.72 and 6.35 ± 2.06, respectively). Fear of COVID-19 accounted for 52% of the CAM attitude score, while coronavirus anxiety accounted for 15% of the CAM attitude score. Fear of COVID-19 and coronavirus anxiety together accounted for 53% of CAM attitude.@*CONCLUSION@#Gynecological cancer patients with high levels of COVID-19-related anxiety and fear during the pandemic used CAM more. Given that the psychological effects of the pandemic will continue in the coming years, CAM use should be evaluated as a coping strategy, especially due to the COVID-19-related anxiety and fear experienced by patients with gynecological cancer. While the rational and effective CAM methods should be supported, strategies should be developed to prevent misuse of CAM and its interference in prescribed medical treatments. Please cite this article as: Uslu-Sahan F, Yesilcınar I, Kurt G, Hancer E, Guvenc G. Effects of COVID-19 fear and anxiety on attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine use in women with gynecological cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(4): 377-384.

The Prevalence of Online Natural Health Products Purchase: A Systematic Review

@#Aim and design: This systematic review aimed to estimate the prevalence of online natural health products (NHPs) purchases among consumers. Data Sources: Four databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Sciences) were searched for articles published up to July 1, 2021. Review Method: Studies included were those reporting the prevalence of online NHPs purchases, those excluded were case reports, commentaries, letters, editorials, review articles, theses and non-English studies. The risk of bias of selected studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s checklist, and the pooled prevalence of online NHPs purchases was generated using the random-effect model. Results: A total of 30 studies were included in the meta-analysis, representing a total of 40,535 respondents. The pooled prevalence of online NHPs purchases was estimated at 7.60% (95% CI: 5.49, 10.01). Prevalence was higher in studies conducted in recent years, among physically active populations and when sports nutrition was included within the scope of NHPs. More than half of the selected studies have a moderate risk of bias, and considerable heterogeneity was observed across the selected studies. Conclusion and Impact: Online purchases of NHPs are not common among consumers, but they have become more common in recent years. A wide range of NHPs were investigated across studies, which may have contributed to the considerable heterogeneity reported in this review. It is suggested that future studies investigating online NHPs purchases consider reporting individual prevalence statistics specific to each NHP type, to facilitate meaningful comparisons between studies.

What is alternative, complementary, and integrative medicine?

The concept of alternative medicine was created by Western medicine to differentiate conventional medicine from medical practices such as traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, homeopathy, neural therapy, osteopathic and chiropractic medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and indigenous traditional medicine, which also have philosophical, scientific, and therapeutic foundations. Unfortunately, over time, the belief that alternative medicine encompasses all medical practices that are not part of conventional medicine has gained ground, causing many inaccuracies and controversies. Medicine arose from the need for human self-preservation, with health defined as a state of complete well-being and disease as a loss of this state. Over the course of history, various approaches have appeared and some of them have developed into medical systems. Conventional medicine was structured in the West based on existing medical reasoning and focused on modifying disease, resulting in marked conceptual differences with existing medical treatment systems that focused on the individual and on modifying disease processes. All medical systems have had an impact in various social fields. Likewise, trends and strategies aimed at integrating conventional medicine with other medical systems such as electroacupuncture according to Voll, homotoxicology, electromagnetic polar balance, anthroposophy, sintergenetics, and biophotonics have also emerged. It is now considered that the aim of medicine is to integrate and complement knowledge from different medical approaches within the concept of a single medicine. Taking this into account, this paper aims to clarify the concepts of the different forms of medicine, propose some definitions, and offer a definition of alternative, complementary, and integrative medicine.

El concepto de medicina alternativa fue creado por la medicina occidental para identificar prácticas médicas diferentes a la medicina convencional, tales como la medicina tradicional china y acupuntura, la homeopatía, la terapia neural, la medicina osteopática y quiropráctica, la medicina ayurveda y la medicina tradicional indígena, que también tienen fundamentos filosóficos, científicos y terapéuticos. Desafortunadamente, con el tiempo se estableció la creencia de que la medicina alternativa comprende todas las prácticas médicas que no son parte de la medicina convencional, lo que ha causado muchas inexactitudes y controversias. La medicina surgió como una necesidad de auto preservación del ser humano que considera a la salud como bienestar completo y a la enfermedad, como pérdida de esta condición. A lo largo de su evolución han emergido diversas racionalidades y algunas de ellas se han convertido en sistemas médicos. La medicina convencional se estructuró en Occidente, fundamentada en racionalidades médicas existentes para la época y enfocada en modificar la enfermedad, lo que resultó en marcadas diferencias conceptuales con sistemas de tratamiento médico ya existentes que se centraban en el individuo y en modificar los procesos de la enfermedad. Todos los sistemas médicos han tenido un impacto en diversos campos sociales. Asimismo, han surgido tendencias y estrategias de integración de la medicina convencional con otros sistemas médicos como la electroacupuntura de Voll, la homotoxicología, el balance polar electromagnético, la antroposofía, la sinter -gética y la biofotónica. Actualmente se considera que el objetivo de la medicina es integrar y complementar conocimientos de diferentes racionalidades médicas dentro del concepto de una sola medicina. Teniendo en cuenta lo anterior, el objetivo del presente artículo es clarificar los conceptos de las diferentes formas de medicina, plantear algunas definiciones al respecto, y proponer una definición de medicina alternativa, complementaria e integrativa.

Assessment of cranberry bush on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells

This research aimed to study the therapeutic potential of Viburnum opulus L. (VO) powder extracts on human breast cancer and normal breast epithelial cell lines. The half-maximum inhibitory concentration IC50 value was 51.32 ?g/mL for 24 h using an MTT assay. The total apoptotic induction was found to be 40.50% for MCF-7 cells exposed to 100 ?g/mL VO powder extract for 48 h. The genotoxic effect in MCF-7 cells was statistically significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner after exposure to VO powder extracts. P1 class glutathione-S-transferase (GSTP1) expression level was noticed protective feature in drug resistance metabolism. GSTP1 activities were found statistically significant differences between all of the groups (**P <0.01). GSTP1 overexpressed in MCF-7 control cells and expression levels decreased in the MCF-7 groups that were treated with VO powder extract at different concentrations of 25, 50 and 100 ?g/mL for 24, 48 and 72 h. These results suggest that VO powder extracts suppress the proliferation and GSTP1 expression of MCF-7 cells and this suppression is attributed to both induction of apoptosis and DNA damage. This study provided the information that VO powder extract may be suitable for drug therapy efficacy at the molecular level.

Uso de medicina complementar e alternativa em pacientes brasileiros com doença inflamatória intestinal / Complementary and alternative medicine use in brazilian patients with inflammatory bowel disease

ABSTRACT Background: The conventional treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is based on drug therapy, but different studies have shown a progressive increase in the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The most used CAM comprises of acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, homeopathy, and herbal medicine, as well as more modern practices, including aromatherapy and reflexology. Data from CAM use in Brazil has previously been scarce and there are no studies among Brazilian patients with IBD. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of, and factors associated with the use of CAM among IBD patients in Brazil, in addition to estimating the satisfaction with CAM use. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in adult IBD outpatients from two Southeastern Brazilian referral centers, with a total a sample of 227 individuals. A semi-structured questionnaire was used containing CAM products - tea, probiotics, omega 3 or glutamine, homeopathy, and herbal therapy, and factors associated with CAM use and patient satisfaction. We used descriptive statistics, association tests (P<0.05) and logistic regression for statistical analyses. Results: In total, 126 patients with Crohn's disease and 101 with ulcerative colitis were included. The mean age was 41.19±14.49 years and 57.27% were female. The time since diagnosis was 10.58±7.5 years, and most patients were in clinical remission. Twenty-nine patients (12.8%) reported having used CAM for IBD treatment, such as tea (5.29%), probiotics (5.29%), omega-3 or glutamine (1.76%), homeopathy (0.88%), and herbal therapies (0.44%). Despite the low frequency, patients were satisfied (>50%). There was no difference between CAM use in Crohn's disease as compared to ulcerative colitis patients (P=0.1171). The factors associated with the use of CAM were regular or poor quality of life (odds ratio 2.084; 95% confidence interval 1.147-3.786, P=0.0159) and a shorter time since diagnosis (odds ratio 0.956; 95% confidence interval 0.918-0.995; P=0.0260). Conclusion: The prevalence of CAM use was low, but satisfactory among Brazilian IBD patients. The application of CAM has been associated with poor quality of life and shorter disease duration compared to patients with no use of CAM.

RESUMO Contexto: O tratamento convencional da doença inflamatória intestinal (DII) é baseado na terapia medicamentosa, mas diferentes estudos têm mostrado aumento progressivo do uso de medicina complementar e alternativa (MCA) na abordagem dos pacientes. As modalidades de MCA mais usadas compreendem: acupuntura, medicina tradicional chinesa, medicina ayurvédica, homeopatia e fitoterapia, bem como práticas mais modernas, como aromaterapia e reflexologia. Os dados do uso de MCA no Brasil são escassos e não há estudos entre pacientes brasileiros com DII. Objetivo: O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a frequência e os fatores associados com o uso de MCA entre pacientes com DII, além de estimar a satisfação com o uso de MCA. Métodos: Foi realizado estudo transversal em pacientes adultos ambulatoriais com DII oriundos de dois centros de referência no sudeste do Brasil, com amostra de 227 indivíduos. Foi aplicado questionário semiestruturado contendo produtos como - chá, probióticos, ômega 3 ou glutamina, homeopatia e fitoterapia, além de fatores associados ao uso de MCA e a satisfação do paciente. Utilizamos estatística descritiva, testes de associação (P<0,05) e regressão logística para análise estatística. Resultados: No total, 126 pacientes com doença de Crohn e 101 com retocolite ulcerativa foram incluídos. A média de idade foi 41,19±14,49 anos e 57,27% eram do sexo feminino. O tempo desde o diagnóstico foi de 10,58±7,5 anos, e a maioria dos pacientes estava em remissão clínica. Vinte e nove pacientes (12,8%) relataram ter usado MCA para o tratamento de DII, como chá (5,29%), probióticos (5,29%), ômega-3 ou glutamina (1,76%), homeopatia (0,88%) e fitoterápicos (0,44%). Apesar da baixa frequência, os pacientes ficaram satisfeitos com o uso (>50%). Não houve diferença entre o uso de MCA entre os pacientes com doença de Crohn em comparação com pacientes com retocolite ulcerativa (P=0,1171). Os fatores associados com o uso de MCA foram qualidade de vida regular ou ruim (Odds ratio 2,084; intervalo de confiança de 95% 1,147-3,786, P=0,0159) e menor tempo desde o diagnóstico (Odds ratio 0,956; intervalo de confiança de 95% 0,918-0,995; P=0,0260). Conclusão: A prevalência do uso de MCA foi baixa, mas satisfatória entre os pacientes com DII. O uso de MCA tem sido associada a baixa qualidade de vida e menor duração da doença.

Complementary and alternative medicines use among adults with migraine in a tertiary care hospital: An observational study

Background: The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) dates back to being quite pervasive amongst patients suffering from chronic ailments such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and migraine. While data pertaining to the use of CAM among adults with migraine is limited and mostly undercover thereby veiling their effects. Hence, this analysis was taken up to project the paradigm of CAM usage among sufferers of migraine in our domain. Aim and Objectives: To examine various attributes of CAM utility in patients of migraine. Materials and Methods: Following the approval by the Institutional Ethics Committee vide order no. IEC/GMC/2019/767 dated November 26, 2019, this study was performed in migraine patients visiting Medicine out patient department of Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu over a span of 3 months. After receiving their consent, they were confronted with a prevalidated questionary consisting of two sections viz. socio-demographic profile and CAM use aspects. Results: A total of 100 patients were inducted in our research, of which 64 agreed to use various CAM modalities alongwith ongoing conventional migraine therapy. Females (73.43%) belonging to rural setting (57.81%) depicted quite high use of CAM than their male (26.56%) counterparts. Ayurvedic balm/oil massage (56.25%) was the most common type of CAM used with family/friends (59.37%) being major informants about various CAM practices. The less educated patients (46.87%) showed relatively more use of CAM than in illiterates (9.37%). 53.12% of those on CAM proclaimed about its safety, being less costly (18.75%) yet effective (14.06%). Only 29.68% of patients disclosed about their CAM use to their treating doctor while the majority (70.31%) were non-revealers. Conclusion: CAM is prevalent in patients suffering from migraine with more propensity among females of rural strata. Ayurvedic balm/oil massage was the most extensively practiced CAM. Ironically, a vast chunk of patients did not reveal regarding CAM usage to their treating physician. As such there’s a dire need to embolden such patients to divulge regarding CAM to their treating doctor so as to thwart any impending undesired interplay.

Knowledge Domain and Emerging Trends of Chinese Medicine in Management of Pediatric Asthma: A Scientometric Study / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the intellectual landscape and emerging research trends of Chinese medicine (CM) in the management of pediatric asthma through a scientometric study.@*METHODS@#Publications related to CM in the management of pediatric asthma were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection using relevant keywords. A scientometric study was performed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer.@*RESULTS@#A total of 1,673 original articles and reviews from 1991 to 2019 were included in the analysis. The amount of annual publications had a gradual increase with time. USA was the major contributor both in country and institution analyses. Based on the co-citation, the published journals were grouped into 4 clusters. Keyword analysis indicated that the main hotspots were: (1) comprehensive management; (2) risk factors, mechanism, and prevalence; (3) prevention and treatment; (4) inflammation; and (5) environmental research. Lastly, we predicted that three emerging trends were quality of life promotion, immune response, and combination therapy.@*CONCLUSIONS@#CM research in the management of pediatric asthma will maintain the current trend of steady growth. This scientometric analysis may help scientists to identify the areas of interests and future directions in the field.

Impact of socioeconomic and health-related factors on consumption of homeopathic and natural remedies in Spain in 2006, 2011 and 2017 / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#Complementary and alternative medicine use and type of use may be influenced by sociodemographic and economic determinants through which we could identify characteristics of patients with greater trend to use it. This paper aims to describe the changes in the consumption of homeopathic and natural remedies in Spain for three time points in order to discern changes in rate of consumption, associated factors and whether their use has been affected by a period of economic recession.@*METHODS@#This study utilized 2006, 2011 and 2017 cross-sectional data from the Spanish National Health Survey, a nationally representative survey of the population aged more than 15 years old and resident in Spain. Independent bivariate and multivariate descriptive analyses for each of the 3 years studied were performed.@*RESULTS@#The rate of consumption of both homeopathic and natural remedies has decreased over the periods studied. In spite of this decrease, the consumer profile appears to remain stable over the three periods. The sociodemographic factors associated with their consumption were being female, being 30-64 years old, being separated/divorced, having higher education qualifications, being employed and belonging to a higher social class. Psychiatric morbidity, chronic health problems such as pain, mental health problems or malignant tumors, and absence of major cardiovascular events were the clinical factors associated.@*CONCLUSION@#It can be concluded that beyond the economic situation, the use of homeopathic and natural remedies obeys to the needs of the patients related to their state of health and the response they receive from the health system. It may be that women have different needs and expectations of the healthcare system and, given this breach of expectations, seek remedy to alleviate their needs outside the system and conventional medicine.

The effect of CAM comprehensive nursing interventions on the improvement of quality of life to patients with breast cancer and gynaecological tumours

Breastcancerin females, which is consideredthe most dreadfuldisease in India andthe worldas compared toother gynaecological cancers,demands extensive care and proper medicationin order to control itsprogressive growth. In addition to the conventional care ofthe patients, Complementary andAlternative Medicine(CAM)is administeredin a controlled way through proper guidance and counselling in orderto attainimprovedphysical andmental health forthe patients.Objective: The aim of the study wasto assess the effectiveness of CAMcomprehensive nursing interventionsand their benefit forpatients who havebreast cancer and gynaecological tumours.Methods: Statistical data was used to map the adult womendiagnosed with breast and gynaecological cancer and who were set to start new chemotherapy treatments. A total of 450 patients from different states of East India were enrolled in the studyover a period of four years. The patients wereselectedbased on their preference for undergoing CAM.The research was conducted usingacross-sectionalanonymous self-administered questionnaireto examine women's perspectivestowards the use of CAM and itseffect on their mental andphysical health.Results:42%of the women preferred theuseofCAM astheir alternative treatment. Breast cancer patients disclosed that 48.1% of them had used CAM and 39% of women with gynaecological cancersstated that they had usedCAM. The results further indicated a less frequent deteriorationin the health of CAM users(38.4%) thantonon-users(55%). In terms of those who utilizedvitamins and nutritional diets,60% of the participants reported using a proper diet, including antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and herbs etc. 37% opted for spiritual healing through yoga, 26% utilized energy healing, 42.4% utilized acupuncture,72% preferred massagesand 23% of patients utilized chiropractic methods.The use of CAM was foundmainlyin the patients with proper education and awareness and those with a family history of cancer who were not receiving the necessary care from their previous primary physician.Conclusion:CAM still requiresextensive research in terms of its applications in dealing with patients and in orderto successfully launch programmes aimed at promoting its useworldwide andto eradicate all the other false notions about it.[Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2022; 36(2):000-000]Keywords: Breast Cancerand gynaecological tumours,Complementary And Alternative Medicine (CAM), Complementary Oncology,Quality Of Life, Nutritional Diet and Spiritual Healing, HRQL (Health-Related Quality Of Life).IntroductionCancer has been the primaryconcern in Indiafrom the onset,resulting in thousands of deaths due to the lack of adequatemedication and therapy.Breast cancer is considered to bea common invasive form of cancer which is responsible for the second highest mortality rate among the primaryfatal conditions of cancer-causing deaths in women. Under the National Cancer Registry Program,the breast, cervix, uteri,and oral cavity(7)are the most common cancer sitesin women. According to statistics, 50-60% of all cancers amongIndian women are commonly found inthe cervix uteri, breast, corpus uteri and ovaries,which are the main organs forcancer invasion. The percentage of women who experience these types of cancer is increases, with more women becoming susceptible to breast cancer, in women up to 3-8% suffer fromovarian cancer,0.5-4.8%have cancer of the corpus uteri, 1-3% have vulva and/or gestational trophoblastic tumours and a staggering75,000 or more women have breast cancer. With the advancements of the disease through time,research programs were also improved in order to enable the improvement of existing measures and/or the development of new measures aimed at combating the diseas and decreasing mortality rates. Apart from the conventional chemotherapy technique,various other programs have been introduced andencorporated into treatment regimes in order to improve the lives of those who are affected by cancer.Complementary andAlternative Medicine (CAM) emphasizesthe methods and practices that are therapeutic and which help diagnose or curethe disease,these methods are intended tocomplement the conventional methods and can be used in place of mainstream medicine. Women with breast cancer and other gynaecological tumoursare increasingly inclined towards the use of CAM. With the increasing number of cancer reports in Indiaand the world,and with the principal amount leading to mortality, women with proper education and awareness are inclined to choosealternative methods rather than the old conventional ones. The side-effects resulting from the chemotherapy are immense and toxic,which is one of the reasons women are inclined to choose.Various research projects and cumulative studies have been conducted in order to review and discoverthe

A study of Tai Chi and Qigong popularity in the United States based on the NHIS data / 国际中医中药杂志

Tai Chi and Qigong (TCQ) are regarded as major therapies of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and welcomed by increasing practitioners worldwide for their efficacy in various health issues. To better learn about the popularity of TCQ in the United States, the related data collected from 2007, 2012 and 2017 questionnaires of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were examined and analyzed. The result showed that adult TCQ practitioners in the US increased substantially from 2007-2017, the percentage of Tai Chi practitioners in adult population was 1.0% in 2007, and Qigong practitioners 0.3%; Tai Chi practitioners was 1.1% in 2012, and Qigong practitioners 0.3%; in 2017, Tai Chi practitioners was 1.5%, and Qigong practitioners 0.5%. The top three reasons for using TCQ were: 82.4% for general wellness or disease prevention, 64.6% to improve or enhance energy, and 35.1% recommended by family, friends or co-workers. The health benefits of TCQ, the demand for complementary therapies and increasing research evidences were positive factors for the growth, while there are also challenges including insufficiencies in scientific researches and lacking of standardized teaching system. To promote the future development of TCQ in the US and oversea countries, we should optimize the research methods and standardize the teaching system, encourage the exchange and training of TCQ related professionals, and promote the integration of TCQ into conventional medical system and other related industries.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Attitudes of Gynecologic Patients: Experience in a Tertiary Clinic / Atitudes de pacientes ginecológicos em medicina alternativa e complementar: Experiência em uma clínica terciária

Abstract Objective To evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding complementary and alternative medicine methods of patients who were admitted to gynecology outpatient clinics. Methods In the present survey, a questionnaire on complementary and alternative medicine practices was applied on 1,000 women (ages between 18 and 83 years old) who were admitted to the gynecology outpatient clinic of a tertiarymaternity hospital. Demographic features and knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about these methods were inquired in face-to-face interviews. Results While 80.7% of the total participants thought that complementary and alternative medicine was beneficial, only 37.5% of them had used these methods previously. The rate of prior knowledge on this subject was of 59.7% and the source of information was physicians for 8.5% of the patients. However, 72.4% of all participants wanted to obtain information on these methods and 93.7% wanted to be informed by physicians. In the decision tree model, having knowledge about complementary and alternative medicine was the most effective factor determining its use (p<0.001). Phytotherapy was found to be the most used method, with 91.4%. The most preferred plant was onion (18.9%), and the most common reasons for herbal use were stress (15.4%) and fatigue (15.2%). Conclusion More than one-third of the patients who applied to the gynecology outpatient clinics used one of the complementary and alternativemedicine methods at least once. As gynecologists and obstetricians, we need to be more knowledgeable about these methods to provide correct guidance to our patients for accessing accurate and effective information.

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar o conhecimento, as atitudes e os comportamentos em relação aos métodos de medicina complementar e alternativa de pacientes internadas em ambulatórios de ginecologia. Métodos Na presente pesquisa, um questionário sobre práticas de medicina complementar e alternativa foi aplicado a 1.000 mulheres (idades entre 18 e 83 anos) que foram admitidas nos ambulatórios de ginecologia de uma maternidade terciária. Características demográficas e conhecimento, atitudes e comportamentos sobre esses métodos foram investigados em entrevistas pessoais. Resultados Enquanto 80,7% do total de participantes achavam que a medicina complementar e alternativa era benéfica, apenas 37,5% deles haviam usado esses métodos anteriormente. A taxa de conhecimento prévio sobre o assunto foi de 59,7% e a fonte de informação foi médica para 8,5% dos pacientes. No entanto, 72,4% de todos os participantes queriam obter informações sobre esses métodos e 93,7% queriam ser informados por médicos. No modelo de árvore de decisão, ter conhecimento sobre medicina complementar e alternativa foi o fator mais eficaz para determinar seu uso (p<0,001). A fitoterapia foi o método mais utilizado, com 91,4%. A planta preferida foi a cebola (18,9%), e osmotivos mais comuns para o uso de ervas foram estresse (15,4%) e fadiga (15,2%). Conclusão Mais de um terço das pacientes que se inscreveram no ambulatório de ginecologia utilizaram um dos métodos de medicina complementar e alternativa pelo menos uma vez. Como ginecologistas e obstetras, precisamos ter mais conhecimento sobre estes métodos a fimde fornecer orientações corretas aos nossos pacientes para o acesso a informações precisas e eficazes.

Uso de medicina complementaria y alternativa y su asociación con la relación médico-paciente en enfermos con artritis reumatoide / Association between physician-patient relationship and the use of complementary and alternative medicine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

RESUMEN Introducción: El uso de medicina complementaria y alternativa (MCA) en pacientes con enfermedades reumáticas es prevalente pero la comunicación con el reumatólogo suele ser deficiente, lo cual afecta la relación médico-paciente (RMP). Objetivos: Evaluar la asociación entre el uso de MCA y la RMP en enfermos con artritis reumatoide. Como objetivos adicionales, describir la percepción del paciente sobre la comunicación con su reumatólogo respecto al uso de MCA y el patrón de uso de las diferentes modalidades terapéuticas. Materiales y métodos: Estudio descriptivo de corte transversal. El uso de MCA y la RMP se evaluaron mediante la autoaplicación de cuestionarios validados (I-CAM-Q y PDRQ-9 respectivamente). Resultados: Se incluyó a 246 pacientes ambulatorios de una institución de tercer nivel de atención. Se encontró asociación entre una mayor satisfacción con el tratamiento y el no usar MCA, y entre el hecho de informar al reumatólogo sobre el uso de MCA con un mayor grado de acuerdo con el médico sobre el origen de los síntomas y mayor satisfacción con el tratamiento. Las modalidades más frecuentemente utilizadas fueron: quiropraxia, acupuntura y productos herbales. El 78,5% afirmaron estar de acuerdo con comunicar el uso de este tipo de medicación al reumatólogo, sin embargo, solo el 31,3% lo notificó, por temor a represalias (54,4%). Conclusiones: Pese a la alta prevalencia de uso de MCA en nuestros pacientes, la mayoría no lo comunicó al reumatólogo. Se encontró asociación entre el uso de MCA y una menor satisfacción del paciente con el tratamiento y entre la comunicación médico-paciente sobre la práctica de MCA y una mejor satisfacción con el tratamiento.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Although complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among patients with rheumatic diseases is extensive, discussions regarding these treatments occur rarely in the rheumatology setting, directly affecting the physician-patient relationship (PPR). Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between patient-physician relationship and complementary and alternative medicine use. As secondary objectives, to describe the patient's perspective towards CAM use and estimate the prevalence of CAM treatments used in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods and materials: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted, in which CAM use and physician-patient relationship were assessed by self-reported validated questionnaires (I-CAM-Q and PDRQ-9, respectively). Results: The study included a total of 246 outpatients of a tertiary care hospital. There were no significant differences between CAM users vs. non-users, or informers vs. non-informers in terms of physician-patient relationship measured by PDQR. The most frequent used CAM treatments were: chiropractice, acupuncture, and herbal products. A large majority (78.5%) of the patients expressed agreement to the discussion of CAM use with the rheumatologist, but only 31.3% of total CAM users did so because of fear of retaliation (54.4%). Conclusion: Despite the extensive practice of CAM among patients with rheumatoid arthritis, most patients did not discuss these treatments with their physicians. Associations were found between MCA use and a lower patient's treatment satisfaction and between physician-patient communication about CAM practice and a higher patient's treatment satisfaction.

The knowledge, attitude, practice and predictors of complementary and alternative medicine use among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Indonesia / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#The prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) usage among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Indonesia is high. However, to date, little is known about why Indonesian T2DM patients choose CAM therapies, how their knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of CAM affects their choices, or how demographics correlate with patient choices. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the KAP and predictors of CAM usage in T2DM patients in Indonesia.@*METHODS@#This was an observational, cross-sectional study. Patients were interviewed using a questionnaire. Chi-square tests or Fisher's exact tests were used to compare demographic and clinical data, as well as KAP assessments, between T2DM patients who use and do not use CAM. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate predictors of CAM usage.@*RESULTS@#A total of 628 T2DM patients were enrolled in the study. CAM therapies were used by 341 patients (54.3%). The most common therapies were herbs and spiritual healing, used by 100.0% and 68.3% of CAM-using patients, respectively. CAM therapies were frequently recommended by family members (91.5%), and CAM users had significantly more knowledge and more positive attitudes toward CAM therapies than nonusers. Among users, 66% said they would not follow their healthcare providers' instructions to not use CAM therapies, and 69.5% said they would not disclose their plan to use CAM therapies with their healthcare provider. Neither demographic nor clinical characteristics were associated with CAM use. The factors that best predicted the use of CAM therapies were their availability and low cost (odds ratio [OR] = 4.59; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.01-7.01), the belief that CAM therapies were safe (OR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.40-2.95), the belief that CAM therapies could help with diabetes control (OR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.15-2.66), and the belief that CAM therapies could help maintain physical health (OR = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.13-2.49).@*CONCLUSION@#CAM therapy users were more knowledgeable and had more positive attitudes toward CAM, but most of them chose not to disclose their CAM use to their healthcare providers. CAM use in Indonesia was associated with its accessibility, affordability, safety and effectivity, but not with any demographic or clinical characteristics. This study provided new evidence and insights for nurses and physicians in Indonesia that will help to design educational programs about the safety and efficacy of CAM therapies.

Huaier Granule for Breast Cancer Treatment / 日本補完代替医療学会誌

Huaier granule, which is clinically used in Japan as a health food, is originally a traditional Chinese medicine for immune dysfunction, such as cancer, in China. Huaier guanule emerged with abundant evidence, and is being prescribed to hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, et al. as indications in China. This review focused on the clinical evidence of Huaier guanule associated to breast cancer.

Post-Marketing Surveillance of Qishe Pill () Use for Management of Neck Pain in a Chinese Patient Cohort to Determine its Safety, Tolerability and Effectiveness / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Qishe Pill () on neck pain in real-world clinical practice.@*METHODS@#A multi-center, prospective, observational surveillance in 8 hospitals across Shanghai was conducted. During patients receiving 4-week Qishe Pill medication, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) assessments have been used to assess their pain and function, while safety monitoring have been observed after 2 and 4 weeks.@*RESULTS@#Results from 2,023 patients (mean age 54.5 years) suggest that the drug exposure per unit of body mass was estimated at 3.41 ± 0.62 g/kg. About 8.5% (172/2,023) of all participants experienced adverse events (AEs), while 3.8% (78/2,023) of all participants experienced adverse reaction. The most common AEs were gastrointestinal events and respiratory events. The VAS score (pain) and NDI score (function) significantly decreased after 4-week treatment. An effect-quantitative analysis was also conducted to show that the normal clinical dosage may be consider as 3-4 g/kg, at which dosage the satisfactory pain-relief effect may achieve by 40-mm reduction in VAS.@*CONCLUSION@#These findings showed that patients with cervical radiculopathy who received Qishe Pill experienced significant improvement on pain and function. (Registration No. NCT01875562).

Classical Chinese Herbal Formulas in the Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease: A Narrative Review / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To summarize the current evidence for 8 frequently prescribed Chinese herbal formulas (CHF) as treatments for angina pectoris in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and the associated adverse reactions.@*METHODS@#Seven electronic databases were screened from their inception through July 2018 for all evidence related to classical CHF for the treatment of patients with CHD.@*RESULTS@#CHF improves CHD outcomes in terms of angina pectoris, electrocardiogram results, Chinese medicine syndromes and biomarkers iomarkers. The combination of CHF and Western medicine (WM) is more effective on CHD than WM alone. The use of CHF to treat CHD shows the same or better clinical effects as the use of WM alone. The 8 investigated CHF do not induce hepatic and renal toxicity or other serious adverse effects.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The safety and efficacy of 8 frequently prescribed herbal formulas for treating CHD have been confirmed in many studies. The findings of these studies are positive but should be interpreted cautiously due to the poor methodological quality of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses. Additional high-quality, multi-center, large-sample RCTs should be performed to confirm these results.